Rina suggests pregnant women to be given COVID-19 vaccine before discharged from hospital after delivery

Its minister, Datuk Seri Rina Mohd Harun, said the move was to make it easier for them to get the vaccine, which should be administered on advice from experts.

"I want to suggest that pregnant women who deliver their babies at hospitals to be given the vaccine before they are discharged, instead of them having to go home first and then go to a vaccination centre to get the jab, she said.

She told reporters this when met after accompanying Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin during a visit to the vaccination centre for pregnant women at the Sunway Pyramid Convention Center here today where some of 2,600 pregnant women are expected to be vaccinated at the PPV today.

Also present was Coordinating Minister for the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme, Khairy Jamaluddin.

According to Rina, nearly 110,000 pregnant women have registered for the COVID-19 vaccination through MySejahtera and to date, 11,000 of them have been given their appointment dates.

Meanwhile, she also suggested for babysitters to be given the vaccination at 49 Nur Sejahtera Clinics.

On the vaccination for people with disabilities (PwDs), Rina said registration involving the group was still low with only 280,000 individuals having registered for the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme.

"The ministry will monitor this. We have the list of PwDs and we will take further action to get them registered so that they can also receive the vaccine as soon as possible," she added.

Rina said the ministry was also in discussions with e-hailing companies to help provide transport for the PwDs to the vaccination centres (PPV).

A drive-through PPV for the PwDs has been set up at Menara Sime Darby Plantation in Ara Damansara, she said, adding that the ministry would also set up similar facilities in other states for the group.